


the “he’s with me” and their gallic shrug.

by 1roomdisco



Series: BE MY CONVERSATION. [5]
Category: ASTRO (Band), NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Character Study, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, also lucas calling jwoo pretty is canon LMAO, hints: lucas speaking in jumbled korean/english and jungwoo speaking in lucas language, their dynamic is so interesting i tried to be as canon as possible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-02 21:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14554107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1roomdisco/pseuds/1roomdisco
Summary: 02:51 PMKim Jwoo sent a photoMy Moon: Whot :/My Moon: Ur not leaving me for him rite??Or:Jungwoo got ditched. Yukhei thinks he looked miserable so he pretends to be late.





	the “he’s with me” and their gallic shrug.

**Author's Note:**

>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> it's me again  
> * luwoo is lyfe  
> * i imagined this is how they would interact if they weren't idols  
> * jungwoo is powerful in all sense of that word okay
> 
> * i hope you will enjoy reading this as much as i did writing
> 
>  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He’s really not coming.

This is a first.

He’d been drinking the night before as seen in his Instagram stories. Jungwoo couldn’t come because his parents went to their anniversary dinner and had specifically asked Jungwoo to stay home because they were going to bring back a cake. He said it’s okay, and their last conversation was at 11:19 PM. Today he’s not picking up Jungwoo’s calls, never mind replying to his KakaoTalk.

Jungwoo had just called Eunbi and she said he’s probably sleeping and his phone is most likely out of battery. _Should I wake him up?_ she asked, because she can walk to his house in five minutes but Jungwoo said no, it’s okay, let him sleep, and thanked her. Jungwoo makes a mental note to visit his house later this evening, if he’s still in the mood. But then again, if _he’s_ really sorry, _he_ should be the one who initiates an effort, right? Huh, well. It doesn’t matter, his house is not that far from here.

Jungwoo checks his Instagram again. He had posted a faceless mirror picture of his outfit for today’s date. He still wants him to see all this, though, so maybe he’s going to his house later.

Maybe.

Jungwoo sighs, quietly. He’s the only person eating alone. He hasn’t moved from his seat for almost an hour now.

“ _Hi_ , sorry I’m late!”

Jungwoo looks up and sees a boy; tall, tanned, eyes so big making him look like a Western doll—who says, no, _exclaims_ in an accented Korean. His dark brown hair is flopping along as he pulls out the chair in front of Jungwoo. His surprisingly boyish smile is enough to tell Jungwoo that he bears no ill intention.

The stranger smells like vanilla, somehow.

“Do you wait long?” the stranger asks, his low voice booming throughout the trendy but compact restaurant Jungwoo had to make a reservation for two a week prior. Jungwoo is just right here, the stranger doesn’t have to speak in such powerful volume that he makes several heads turning to their table.

Some stares linger. His new companion is _that_ breathtaking.

But. Whatever he is, Jungwoo decides to play along. “Uhh, no,” he answers. He’s sure there’s something missing from the stranger’s question though he can’t pinpoint what.

The stranger nods and opens the menu like he just didn’t invite himself to sit with Jungwoo. “Great, um, what should I eat? I’m hungrying,” he mumbles, big, big eyes scanning the page.

“Hungrying…” Jungwoo repeats in a soft tone, and then he smiles. This stranger is a foreigner. His jumbled Korean is adorable. “You’re starving? Have pasta,” Jungwoo suggests, relaxing back to his seat.

“Yes,” the stranger easily agrees, still not taking his big, big eyes off the menu. Jungwoo sips on his creamy lime juice, willing to push his confusion away. They’re millenials. He’s seen some… shenanigans on popular Pann and Naver articles. It’s either the stranger is having a bet with his friends or he’s just that bored he decides to crash Jungwoo’s one-man party. Jungwoo doesn’t mind. It’s just another Saturday at Hongdae.

Finally, the stranger snaps his fingers. “ _Okay_ , _I know_. Will you wait?” he asks.

Jungwoo is following the stranger’s eyes to his own half-finished salmon steak. “While you eat? Of course.” He smiles when the stranger sends him a grateful smile, which is kinda weird. Because the genuine gesture is breaking Jungwoo’s theory about them millenials.

Jungwoo calls for the same waiter who served him forty-five minutes ago. The stranger points at the baked rigatoni in bolognaise sauce with extra beef balls and he wants his egg poached, all described in a mix of Korean and English. When the overwhelmed but very patient waiter has jotted down the stranger’s order, Jungwoo asks him to repeat it again. The stranger looks at Jungwoo like an obedient, overgrown, overeager, very hungrying puppy as Jungwoo tries his best to translate for both him and the waiter. Apparently, the waiter got everything right on first try.

The stranger is _beaming_ when Jungwoo turns his attention back to him.

“Hello, my name is Wong Yukhei,” he introduces himself in a much normal, two-way conversation tone, offering one tanned hand for Jungwoo to shake.

“Kim Jungwoo,” Jungwoo says, noting that the stra— _Yukhei’s_ hand is way much bigger than his. And warm. Jungwoo only notices because the temperature will still drop to zero even in March.

“Are you my hyung or dongsaeng?” Yukhei asks, resting his elbows on the table.

“I’m twenty years old,” Jungwoo giggles.

“Ah, you’re my hyung then. I’m nineteen!” Yukhei has a very nice set of white teeth, really, Jungwoo wonders if Yukhei is famous? Maybe an idol trainee or a model? Oh, right. This might be a new variety show. A Famous Person's Mission #1: _Get a random Seoulite to pay for your meal._ Seems more likely than Jungwoo thought. Ha, thankfully Jungwoo has got enough Won if that is really the case. And at least he’s all dressed up today because of a certain someone.

Jungwoo sniffs.

“Where are you from, Yukhei-sshi?” he asks, mostly to distract himself from such disheartening thought. He hopes what Yukhei is doing is really for a new variety show, because his mom would love to see him on TV.

Yukhei grins, “I’m from Hong Kong! I study at Hongik University. _Freshman_. Uh, I mean, first year?”

“First year,” Jungwoo repeats the correct term, and asks again to keep the conversation going, “what are you studying?”

“It’s an _international_ program. The classes are in English. Two years abroad, two years back home. I’m studying Cross-cultural Communication.”

“That’s awesome.”

“Hyung?”

“I’m taking Sports Management major, Dongguk University.”

“I never listen of that. Where is it?”

“It’s not far. You take the subway line 3 from here.”

“Wait, lemme remember.” Yukhei fishes out his phone from the inner pocket of his leather jacket and obviously his phone is dwarfed in his gigantic hands. “Can you say it again? Dongguk University, subway line…?”

Jungwoo doesn’t ask. Yukhei said he hasn’t heard of Dongguk University; maybe he wants to take a look because he’s curious? Yukhei seems like the type.

“Subway line 3, Dongguk University Station. You can take the bus as well, number 144, 301, 420, 407, and 7212.”

Yukhei is concentrating with writing the bus’ numbers. He asks in English, “Sports Management. _You must be good at sports, right?_ ”

Jungwoo smiles. Getting good grades not just in sports back in high school is totally helpful. “I got in with a sports scholarship program. I play soccer. Here’s your food.”

Yukhei’s big, big eyes sparkle as his lunch is served before him. He thanks the waitress cheerfully and if she gets flustered a little bit, well, Jungwoo _understands_. Yukhei is easily the most attractive person he’s ever met, armored with such beautiful smile and great fashion sense to boot. Jungwoo likes to think that he’s not so bad himself, but this is not a competition. He’s already got someone after all.

They continue to eat in a comfortable silence. Jungwoo decides to devour his food since he’s been too preoccupied with his thought even before Yukhei came. It’s gone cold. He finishes the salmon steak in three big forkfuls, and he checks his phone. Still asleep, then. He drinks the last of his creamy lime juice and is shocked to see that Yukhei is already halfway through his big plate of baked rigatoni.

“Slow down, I don’t mind waiting for you,” Jungwoo says, softly, and Yukhei laughs, out loud and embarrassed.

“I’m just so hungry, hyung!” he says, shielding his mouth with one gigantic palm. “Do I scare you?”

“No,” Jungwoo shakes his head, “go on. Would you like to share cheese fries?”

“Can I have jalapeno on top?”

“Sure.”

Yukhei drinks two tall glasses of vanilla milkshake and they talk about their favorite soccer clubs—Manchester City for Jungwoo and Real Madrid for his new friend, as Yukhei said so—and Jungwoo learns that Yukhei had a meeting with a modeling agency in the private meeting room on the second floor that has tiny circle windows overlooking the first floor, also the reason why Yukhei _pretended_ to be late.

“Because I thought you looked miserable, hyung! _I was like_ , you were already here before I was up there. Then your food comes? You keep checking your phone so I thought oh he’s waiting for someone. My meeting was short. I was just you know, _walking_ , and they take my pictures. Then,” he makes a universal ‘end’ gesture with his hand, “but you’re still here! _Also_ , I was so hungry.”

Jungwoo can’t help it. His laughter is uncontrollable, but that seems to stir up Yukhei’s energy even more. He does look like he gets high on making people happy because he says, with a total innocence of his baritone,

“I hope it was okay. I don’t want them thinking you’re alone.”

Who’s them? The other customer? Jungwoo couldn’t care any less, to be honest, but he doesn’t tell Yukhei that.

“Being alone doesn’t mean I’m lonely,” Jungwoo wheezes, wiping the corners of his eyes with a napkin.

“No, no, no. I can’t let you. No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Yukhei opens his mouth to answer, closes it again, frowns, and pouts. In the end Jungwoo just pats his gigantic hand on the table.

“Thank you,” he says, softly, not wanting to discourage Yukhei from making him happy until they finish the cheese fries. “You’re so kind.”

And so easily pleased. Yukhei squares his wide chest even _wider_ at Jungwoo’s compliment, and Jungwoo laughs.

Yukhei offers to split the bill, but Jungwoo is having none of it, new variety show or not. He had a really good time, screw scripts and/or silly bets foreign exchange students aka millenials do nowadays.

“Thanks so much, hyung,” Yukhei chirps happily as he holds the door open for Jungwoo. “You’re so kind, too.”

It’s only 2:03 PM in the afternoon. Jungwoo planned to go to a bookstore before the movie starts at 3:00, because he knew _he_ wanted the newest volume of Arsenal Magazine. Jungwoo could still go and buy one for him, alone, but Yukhei doesn’t look like he’s got anything better to do by himself.

“Do you have other appointment?” he asks, tilting his head and squinting his eyes. Yukhei is at least an inch taller than him, the afternoon sun is glaring but the strong wind is biting cold.

“What?” Yukhei’s smile is apologetic.

Jungwoo wants to _coo_. He manages to rephrase his question. “Are you going to meet your friends after this?”

“Ooh~” Yukhei nods once he understands what Jungwoo is asking him. “Nope. Where are you going, hyung?”

“I have two tickets for the newest Avengers. You’re more than welcome to watch it with me,” Jungwoo smiles, speaking in a louder voice just in case Yukhei doesn’t feel his excitement. “If you want.”

Yukhei acts as if Jungwoo did something noble by offering him a free ticket to the most anticipated movie of 2018; he clutches the side of his chest where his heart is, bending his knees and wailing dramatically.

“Are you sure, hyung? I don’t watch it yet!”

“Like I said, if you want,” Jungwoo cocks his eyebrows, a playful challenge of some sort, and Yukhei straightens up to his full height, his nostrils are flaring as he declares that yes, _yes, please, hyung, lemme go with you_ —and it sounds so funny and strange Jungwoo is liking how the universe works in his favor.

Yukhei is following him like an obedient, overgrown, overeager puppy to the bookstore, getting giggles from girls and indiscreet stares from women all the while. He smiles and apologizes when he bumps to an older man, and he spreads one long arm to warn a middle aged lady of a puddle on the sidewalk. He does a _mehrong_ to a baby girl in her father’s embrace, getting a cute babble and toothless laugh in return, and he gets a handful of free samples from Etude House when they walk pass one huge store. Jungwoo gets it. Yukhei is radiant like the sun, he exudes good vibes only. To say that Jungwoo is no longer sulking ever since Yukhei started talking to him would be an understatement. Jungwoo is _grateful_. Watching Infinity War by himself would be so pathetic, like rubbing salt to his open wound. It was hard to get the tickets, alright, Jungwoo had to stay up late just so he could pick the best center seats.

“What did you get?” Jungwoo asks, elbowing Yukhei’s side as they enter the bookstore. The magazine section is on the second floor.

“Lip mask, essence, moisturizer, vitamin E,” Yukhei frowns, “hand cream? Want some, hyung?”

“I won’t say no to the lip mask.”

“Take all, gimme just the hand cream.”

Jungwoo doesn’t protest. He puts the free samples into his hip pack, leading them to the stairs. He makes a beeline to the magazine section, grabs the newest volume of Moon Bin’s favorite soccer club’s magazine, and goes to the cashier. Yukhei doesn’t say anything, he keeps trailing next to Jungwoo. Upon seeing a stack of Chupa Chups placed strategically next to Kinder Joy chocolates, Jungwoo adds two strawberry & milk flavored lollipops to his purchase. He gives one to Yukhei, who squeals like a little kid, half-yelling his thank you.

The girl tending the cashier is smiling shyly at the sight, but Yukhei is already too busy unwrapping his treat.

“You’re just like Kun-ge, buying me foods,” Yukhei says, slotting the lollipop in his left cheek. He grunts loudly when they’re back to the first floor and asks, “I thought you say you’re a fan of Manchester City?” he blinks towards the plastic bag in Jungwoo’s hand.

“It’s for my friend,” Jungwoo answers without a pause, and asks, “is Kun-ge your friend? ‘Ge’ means ‘hyung’, right?”

Yukhei nods, fist-pumping the sky unprompted. “He’s my best friend! So kind, just like you. Buys me foods a lot when he’s not cooking. [There’s also Sicheng-ge, Yuta-hyung, Ten-hyung, Doyoung-hyung.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10451211) Doyoung-hyung’s boyfriend has a little brother, my age. So cute. Me is a giant!”

Jungwoo’s heart skips a beat.

He didn’t hear it wrong.

“Is Kun-ge from Hong Kong?” he asks, clearing his throat. If his voice gets softer than usual, Yukhei doesn’t seem to take notice.

“Nope, Kun-ge is from Fujian, China. Sometimes he teaches me Korean. Most of the time Doyoung and Yuta-hyung.”

“Isn’t Yuta a Japanese name?”

“You are correct! Nakamoto Yuta. His Korean is the best, like a Korean person! Ten-hyung is from Thailand like my umma, but I can’t say his real name it’s so hard. [Sicheng-ge is from Beijing.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12175746)”

“I’m sorry I sound like a parrot, but your mom is from Thailand? So you’re half-Thai and half-Chinese?”

“A hundred points for Jungwoo-hyung!” Yukhei announces to the busy street of Hongdae, and Jungwoo laughs. He didn’t hear it wrong and it’s alright.

“I’m handsome, right, hyung?” Yukhei tries to smolder, still with the lollipop bulging in his left cheek, and what else can Jungwoo do but to laugh? Yukhei is alright.

“Yes, you are,” Jungwoo admits the truth, patting Yukhei’s head like he would a puppy. “What about me?” he does his signature flower pose with his free hand under his chin that always kills Moon Bin every time, and Yukhei stutters,

“Jungwoo-hyung is pretty.”

“That’s right.” Jungwoo nods, satisfied because Yukhei has a quick wit. “A thousand points for Wong Yukhei.”

“Yeay!” Yukhei gives a big whoop, then he’s pulling Jungwoo’s arm because he almost walked straight to a trash can. “Careful, hyung, don’t wanna mess your pretty face.”

“You’re a flirt!” Jungwoo gasps in a parody of shocked expression and Yukhei smirks, easily, probably already used to such accusation from his friends.

They arrive at the cinema but the movie won’t start in another twenty minutes. Yukhei wants to take photos with Thor and Dr. Strange, but he’s posing like Superman in between the two life size cutouts as Jungwoo becomes his personal photographer. He’s sending one photo to a group chat titled ‘The Asian Avengers’—Jungwoo only knows because Yukhei lets him read the lively chat. Yukhei tells his multinational hyungs that he met a pretty hyung, Jungwoo, who buys him food and movie ticket and lollipop and someone asks for their selca together or else Yukhei is just taking advantage of his handsome face to trick a poor human.

Yukhei whines that Yuta-hyung is so mean and Jungwoo tilts his head and smiles to the camera when Yukhei opens the camera app, snaps one selca, and sends it to ‘The Asian Avengers’.

There’s a queue at the concession stand. Yukhei insists on paying for their popcorn and coke and Jungwoo says he wants a bucket of salted caramel popcorn. He’s taking off a lint on Yukhei’s leather jacket when his phone buzzes and it’s Moon Bin calling.

“I have to take this,” he tells Yukhei in a hurry, who smiles and shoos him away. Jungwoo laughs, and is still laughing when he says to the phone, “That bad?”

 _“Woo, I’m so, so sorry!”_ Moon Bin croaks out from the other line, heaving a sigh of relief because Jungwoo doesn’t sound like he’s mad at him. Jungwoo is not, never was, and will never be. That much is true.

_“Where are you now?”_

“At the cinema.”

_“Alone?!”_

Jungwoo giggles. He feels his cheeks warming up at Moon Bin’s silly worrying. He leans against a wall on the deserted area leading to the restroom, crossing his long legs. “No, baby. I picked up a cute new friend to watch it with me. Are you alright?”

 _“My head is killing me,”_ Moon Bin groans, faking his sobs, _“who’s your new friend?”_

“He’s more handsome than you that’s for sure.”

_“He is, isn’t he?”_

“Taller.”

_“Hm, wow.”_

“More awake now?”

 _“Definitely,”_ Moon Bin clicks his tongue, _“will you come over later?”_

“I dunno,” Jungwoo sing-songs, just because he can. “Should I?”

Moon Bin whines again, and Jungwoo is quick to relent. He agrees to stay over at Moon Bin’s house and they talk a little about what else happened at the party last night. Seungkwan gave Vernon a lap dance. Eunwoo-sunbaenim got another confession but what else is new? Jungwoo asks if Moon Bin wants his favorite Japanese cheesecake and Moon Bin practically yells to the phone that he will give all of his saving for it and whines because his head is spinning. Jungwoo says he will expect the cash when he arrives with the Japanese cheesecake later and Moon Bin swears he will kiss the heck out of him. Jungwoo can’t wait.

Yukhei catches his eyes, his gigantic hands are struggling to hold their movie snacks. He keeps a polite distance since Jungwoo is still on the phone, and Jungwoo tells Moon Bin that he has to go because his cute, new friend is waiting for him. Moon Bin wants to see Yukhei, so Jungwoo tells Yukhei to stay right there, don’t move, let me just, and Yukhei grins to the camera.

“Thank you,” Jungwoo says, putting his phone back in his hip pack. He takes the popcorn and the cola and checks the time. “Shall we go?”

Yukhei nods, and asks, “Who was that?”

Jungwoo smiles because Yukhei is alright. “My boyfriend.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

02:51 PM

 

Kim Jwoo sent a photo

My Moon: Whot :/

My Moon: Ur not leaving me for him rite??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

>   
>  dun dun DUn oh there will be a sequel if i get 10 comments maybe?
> 
> [tumblr if u wanna scReAM.](https://marks-hyung.tumblr.com)  
>   
>   
> 


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